Blockwatch Duties and Responsibilities

Meet the Association:

The purpose of YOUR Blockwatch is to increase communication between you and your neighbors with the agreement to become more watchful of neighborhood activities and work to rid the neighborhood of crime.

Neighborly responsibilities:

1. Report all emergencies and potentially criminal suspicious activities to 9-1-1 immediately.
2. Keep an eye on the neighborhood, if you notice suspicious activity, strangers, or noises, call 9-1-1.
3. Alert your Block Captain on any criminal activities so they can take appropriate measures to alert your neighbors and minimize the problem.
4. Welcome new neighbors and urge them to join the Blockwatch. Alert the Block Captain to new neighbors so information can be passed along and the Blockwatch Map can be updated.
5. Support and encourage the activities of the Block Captain and take your turn as Captain.

Individual Responsibilities:

1. Lock your doors and windows whenever you leave your home, even if it¹s for a short time.
2. Be certain that your street address is clearly visible from the street so emergency services can find you quickly.
3. Engrave your property with your Washington State Driver¹s License number, maintain your property inventory record, and post Operation ID stickers on your windows and doors. This helps the Sheriff identify potentially stolen property and makes your home a less likely target for burglars.
4. Enhance your security by adding effective deadbolts on doors and additional locks on vulnerable windows.
5. Use timers on lamps and radios when you are gone to make your home look occupied and light up your front and back entryways every night. If you must park your car outside, make sure it¹s in a well-lighted location, possibly with a motion detector light.
6. Keep tools and ladders secured so they can¹t be used by criminals to break into your home.
7. Have a trusted neighbor keep a duplicate house key. Do not hide a key near your entryways.
8. When away from home, have a neighbor remove newspapers, etc to insure the home looks lived-in.
9. Always remove your keys and roll up the windows in your car, then lock the doors. Never leave any valuables in plain sight within the car. Consider adding a car alarm or steering wheel locking bar as an additional deterrent. And finally, if your car is prowled, report the incident to 9-1-1 to insure the Sheriff knows there is a problem in your area and can take appropriate measures to minimize future problems.

For additional information, contact:

Block Captain-Manchester Central: Bud Larsen 769-8793 budwanlars@msn.com

Assistant Block Capt.: John Winslow 871-7115 johnwinslo@aol.com

Community Resource Officer: Sheriff Pete Ball 337-7074 pball@co.kitsap.wa.us